Eternal Trust
by echo-WLH
Summary: Two piece story: Zelos' betrayal at the Tower of Salvation and the part where he rescues Sheena from the Holy Tree trap thingy. Sheelos. Rated T because Zelos is in it. SPOILERS! AHHHHHHH!
1. Part One: Betrayal

**WLH: Ahhh... TOS, the revolutionary RPG!!! Ready?**

**SHEELOS TIME!!! haha. this is the first story online after my most dreadful writer's block. my first TOS! tell me what you think.**

**-----**

"Z-zelos you…" Sheena murmured, clenching her fists. "You betrayed us?"

She carefully masked her feelings with a blank stare. "You were always… a pervert, but I always thought you were… a good person at heart."

"Please say it's not true Zelos!" Colette pleaded, elbowing her captor frantically. "It's a lie, I know it!"

"I side with the strongest," Zelos said, as if it were obvious. "Didn't you get what I was telling you before in Flanior, Lloyd?"

"ZELOS!" Lloyd yelled angrily. "Hey you… give us back Colette!! I swear if you don't I'll…"

"Lloyd," Regal said calmly. "We'll get her back okay? For now, it is merely irresponsible mouthing off. We know how much you care for her."

"Zelos, you're terrible…" Presea muttered, gripping her ax.

"As if I care what you think of me," Zelos sneered.

"ZELOS!!!!" Lloyd roared again, taking no heed of Regal's sighs.

"N-no Lloyd," Sheena said, starting to loose control of her cool facade. "That's not Zelos. It can't be! I-it… can't be…"

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"_You idiot Chosen! Always smiling like there are no problems out there! Don't you understand how anyone feels?!"_

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"_Zelos… for once, I side with you. Sorry Lloyd, but we should take Colette along this time."_

"_Heh, that's my favorite hunny!"_

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"_T-thanks."_

"_Aww come on, would it hurt to just give me a kiss or two?"_

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"You…"

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"_I… I can't stop it!"_

"_Please professor Raine, you have to do something! Please, she can't die…"_

"_I'm sorry Zelos, there's nothing much I can do…"_

"_N-no! Sheena!!"_

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"You really…"

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"_Your sister hates you?"_

"_Yeap, that's what it still seems like."_

"_You know, I bet you guys still care about each other."_

"…"

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"…aren't him, are you?" Sheena said, tears waving down her cheeks.

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"_Don't say that AFTER you hit me!"_

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"Please tell me…"

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"_Whatever will be… will be."_

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"…where did you put him?"

She collapsed down weakly on her knees and Presea ran beside her. Tears came harder now, but she didn't care for once. "Where the hell did you put Zelos?"

"Sheena?" Lloyd said anxiously.

"Why he's right here, my voluptuous hunny. Why do you find that so hard to believe? You really are thicker than I thought eh?" Zelos said a little scornfully. "Your chest really IS the only part of you that's well-endowed."

"Why you insolent little-" Regal barked. "Can't you understand anything at all?"

"Understand??" The chosen laughed sardonically. "Of course I understand. I've understood everything so far, experienced every single kind of pain you guys have been feeling, and much more. YOU, my friends, are the ones who don't understand."

"Well why didn't you just tell us then?!" Lloyd yelled, frustrated. "If you had just told us your pain, we would have just taken it on our shoulders as well!! After all, isn't that what friends do? ISN'T IT??!!"

"Lloyd you… think too rashly," Sheena muttered under her breath.

"Friends?!" Zelos said mirthfully. "What _friends_?! What do you think I've been doing all this time, eh? All you guys did was…" his eyes glinted and he shook his head slowly. "Nothing at all."

"Z-zelos?" Colette stuttered, amazed at the Chosen's coldness. _Sheena…_

"I-I'm fine," Sheena said to Presea shakily. She looked up with a small frown at the red headed traitor up at the dais. "I trusted you Zelos. Even though you were annoying I always… cared about you. In the end it seems," she said quietly. "It seems that strength is always the virtue that is sought for, not friendship, not trust, not love."

"…"

"Is it possible that maybe, had you looked hard enough, you could have found that we all care for you? Just accepting you in… wasn't good enough? And trusting you… and spending time with you… wasn't enough?

"I admit it though. I'm a horrible person who always shoves others away, but you know, even though I always pushed you away, you always came back. In that way, you earned my trust, no more known as 'that jerk Chosen,' but Zelos. So we aren't physically strong and you know that we seem to be a pitiful force against Cruxis. Is that your true reason for betraying us, or is there more?"

He remained silent, as did everyone else.

"Well Zelos?" Tears started again. "Come on, tell us. Isn't it enough that we say we need you? We need you to stay with us, we're incomplete without you."

"…"

"I'm asking you, you… you… IDIOT!!" she cried. "I can never be enough for anyone, can I, Zelos? Not for Lloyd, not for my village, not for my people. And now… not for you! I'm not strong. But I always thought you said that was okay. YOU said that to me. 'Don't try to solve all of your problems,' you said."

She sniffed and felt the emptiness bubble within her. "You meant that didn't you? Then why did you do this?! You liar… ZELOS YOU LIAR!!!"

"S-sheena! Don't lose yourself over him," Presea murmured, putting her arms around the ninja. She kept her eyes focused on Sheena, as if somewhat scared to look up at the chosen. "Strength is a meaningless thing many come to desire, Zelos. All it causes is destruction, pain, sacrifice. Humans are weak. We are all weak, because we can love. We all have hearts… _souls._" She finally looked up at him. "Don't you?"

"There are two types of humans Zelos," Genis spoke suddenly. "The stronger ones are the ones who can truly overcome their own weaknesses and use them towards their success. The darkness is what's truly strong. So what? We are strong in ways that can overcome darkness, what more do you seek? Humans truly are selfish… it sickens me."

"The only way to acquire true strength is to lose your will to live. Are you ready to do that? Give up life for strength, Zelos?" Raine added.

"Emptiness causes your soul to break down," Colette cried, trying to break away from Pronyma. "It only makes things worse Zelos! I know it, I _felt _my soul wearing down when I was becoming an angel! It's terrible to only be trapped in darkness like that Zelos! Is that really what you want? Lloyd saved me, he cared for me and looked, kept looking for a way to save _everyone_, not just the world, not just me. Now that we know, we want to save you too Zelos! Please…"

"I…" he started.

"Stop it, everyone." Sheena said, her voice wavering slightly. "As a human, he also has, not only the right to live, but to make choices for himself too." She looked up at the dais. "I still trust you Zelos, silly as it seems."

"Foolish girl," Pronyma cackled, choosing the precise moment to interrupt. "Nothing like that will change his mind… after all, Lord Yggdrasial has given him the choice of being free from the burden of being a Chosen. Strength is eternity." She clutched Colette's arm tighter. "Let's go Zelos."

"Yes, Lady Pronyma," he faltered. He stepped onto the teleporter.

"Lloyd!! LLOYD!!!!" Colette yelled as she disappeared.

"Colette!!" he yelled back. "Y-you…" he seethed at Zelos, who was still standing with one foot on the teleporting circle. The Chosen could feel the pure hatred coming from his glare and flinched. "You disgust me, you traitor."

Before teleporting, the Chosen chose to look up at his friends once more. To his surprise, there was Sheena, his demonic banshee, staring blankly at him, tears streaming down her cheeks once again.

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"_See ya Zelos."_

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He blinked and was teleported away before he could say anything.

_Friendship?_

_Trust?_

…_love?_

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**WLH: Oh dang. OOC Sheena alert. (Sorry Bob-sama!!) Okay, don't worry, she'll get in character soon. This is a two piece Sheelos thing, Zelos' betrayal at the Tower of Salv. and when he rescues Sheena from the trap. Oh oh BTW… the little italicized parts are like flashbacks. I made up one or two of them and the rest are basically from the game. Well tata, I'm off to murder Abyssion on mania! He has… funky hair…**

**Gimme a R!**

**E!**

**V!**

**I!**

**E!**

**W!**

**What does that spell??**

**REVIEW!!! Got it? So do it. NNOOWWWW….**


	2. Part Two: Rescue

**WLH: More Sheelos... Woo... I spent all History class scribbling in my notebook and here's the result. Second and FINAL Installment of Eternal Trust: Rescue!! I want those reviews. NOW. Enjoy ;)**

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"Ugh," Sheena grunted, twisting her arm around. "Great." She frowned. "I'm so stubborn, even at times like this. Maybe I should have just let Lloyd rescue me."

"Well, well… that's quite a fix you're in," a voice echoed.

"W-what?" She caught a glance of an annoyingly handsome red-headed man leering at her from a corner. "Zelos!"

Her eyes burned in humiliation. She couldn't believe the nerve of that guy.

_First he betrays us and then he comes to LAUGH at us!! Why that little…_

She kicked a little more in irritation and froze when something overhead snapped. Zelos gave her a little smirk and stepped closer to where she was caught over the gaping hole.

"S-stay away from me you creep!" she yelled again in vain. "You better keep your filthy hands off of me or I'm gonna haunt you forever!"

He merely ventured closer without hesitation and reached his hand out towards her. She glared defiantly at the approaching invader as it drew closer and promptly bit down on it.

"OWW!!" he yowled. "W-what the heck was that for, you crazy woman?!"

"I told you to stay away!"

"Hey, hey, hunny… I'm not THAT bad, am I?" he asked, trying to look offended.

"Well you betrayed us without blinking, so I figure you could stoop a few levels lower without totally killing your pride," she retorted. "Besides… you're a completely perverted idiot."

"Ouch." He grunted and rolled his eyes, reaching out towards her again. When she stiffened, he barked, "You better not bite me again."

"Arousing as it was," he muttered under his breath. She turned pink and scowled.

"Just what are you trying to do anyways?"

He snorted as if it were obvious. "Rescue you."

"I can get down by myself, thank you very much!" she said rashly. He poked her in the fore head.

"You sure are cute when you try to act tough," he chuckled.

"I-I'm not trying to 'act tough,' as you put it," she replied back, while indeed trying to act 'tough'. (That's our Sheena!)

"Oh really," Zelos laughed. "Then I'm going off to save Presea." He pressed a hidden panel and started towards the newly opened door. "That okay with you?"

She stayed defiantly silent, so he shrugged and stepped out.

_I… have to stop being so stubborn._ She sighed inwardly in defeat. _Here comes the last blow to my pride_, she thought, wincing as something overhead snapped again.

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"_Stop trying to solve everything by yourself, Sheena. I mean, we're here, right?"_

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"Z-zelos!! Wait!"

The Chosen stepped back into the doorway. "Hmm?"

"I…" she blushed. "I um… need your help."

He grinned. "Would you care to repeat that again, my voluptuous hunny? I couldn't hear you very well."

"Zelos!"

"What's that? Yeah, Presea? I'm going to help you my little ros-"

"Okay, okay! I need you're help! I can't do anything without you, oh high and mighty one!" Sheena cried in exasperation. "Now please get me down."

"Sure thing, hunny." He stepped over and began to release the vine on her arm. It took him quite a few tries to even make a cut in it. He jumped back, startled, as it whipped out at him, dragging a furious Sheena along. "Stubborn, like someone I know…" he remarked teasingly.

"S-shut up, you." she said.

He smiled largely, seeing as she was unable to smack him for his teasing remarks and was about to tease her some more, but decided it was a little too evil for his tastes. He released the last vine and pulled her away from the hole.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"A kiss would do nicely," he replied with a perverted gleam in his eyes.

She smacked him. "I don't think so."

"You never change," he remarked, obviously satisfied.

"That a bad thing?"

"'Course not hunny."

"So," she said, twisting her wrist. "We're off to rescue Presea now?"

"Yeap." He grabbed her hand and (of course) she immediately scowled (cutely, in his opinion) and pulled away. He smirked. "We have to go down that hole."

"But then what was that door with the panel?" she blinked. Then she blushed. "Y-you knew it, didn't you?!"

"Haha, do you think I'd leave you alone here when I could rescue you and maybe even earn a kiss?" He grinned. "I think not."

"Well that's Zelos for you," Sheena said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah well, let's go!"

"How are we supposed to get down there without falling?"

"Ahh…" he laughed, poking her forehead again. "Use your head for once."

"Are you trying to imply that I'm stupid?" Sheena asked, raising her fist.

"Ah nooo…" he said, backing away.

She sighed. "Come on, we're wasting time. Lloyd's probably already getting all of the action!"

He nodded and unleashed two bright orange wings. Seeing her back away slightly, he grinned and said, "No, no, it's okay. I swear I won't… betray you again."

"O-okay. Let's go then."

He held out his arms. She hesitated, so he stepped towards her and scooped her up bridal style. It took the female ninja exactly .5 seconds exactly where she was, and more importantly, where his _hands_ were.

"W-wait!! ZELOS!!!" she yelled, kicking angrily. "Put me down you little-"

He grinned at her and took a running leap off the ledge.

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The hole was darker, and deeper, as a matter of fact, than Sheena had expected it to be.

"Say… Zelos?"

"Yes, my voluptuous hunny?"

She reached up and smacked him hard. "Don't call me that."

He scowled teasingly. "You're supposed to make things easier for me, the heroic knight in shining armor, not harder. Haven't you read it in fairy tales? So unfeminine."

"Whatever." She said, smacking him again. "So... why did you rescue me anyways?" She looked up at him in the darkness and quickly looked away when he glanced down at her.

"…"

"You're part of Cruxis, right?"

"…no. Not anymore."

She absently gripped his salmon colored vest in irritation. "That makes no sense. You betray us right in front of our noses and then come back to help us."

"I…"

"Zelos." She shifted so that his hand was a good distance from her butt. "There's another reason you betrayed us. I know it. But there's a bigger reason you came back. Well? What are they?"

"…"

"I said that I still trust you. You could be taking me away to be killed for all I know, right?"

He stiffened. "I… would never do that."

She leaned up against him slightly and listened to the rhythmic rush of his wings. "I know, idiot. I said I trusted you, didn't I?" she snorted softly. "But… is there anything else you have to tell me? Why did you come back? Is it because of what I said before?"

"…"

"Well I'm sorry for calling you a liar, and I hardly ever apologize to you, so you better believe it," she laughed softly.

"Sheena?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm… sorry."

"Well, you should be," she said reasonably. "You hurt me a lot back there." She sighed. "I…I've had enough betrayals, to tell you the truth. Betrayed, first by Kuchinawa, then by you. Plus the fact that I was acting like a complete fool when you did. Guess everyone's finally seen me break."

"Sheena, I…"

"It's okay though."

His grip on her legs tightened. (Zelos, through and through) "What?"

"I'm not strong, and I don't always make the right choices, so I hardly expect you to be any different. Just because you are the Chosen doesn't mean that you have to take all the burdens of Tethe' alla, you know. It's just not fair. And Lloyd's right, even though he doesn't stop to think things out. Everyone who is born on this twisted world has the right to live life to the fullest."

She frowned slightly. "Does it hurt that much, Zelos? Enough that you'd give up your soul to get rid of it?"

He closed his eyes briefly. "Thanks."

"For what? For trusting you or something?"

"Why… do you put so much trust in others?"

"Not others. Only you."

"That's so unlike you," he said with a little smile.

She scowled, "I have a soft side too, you know."

"That I know very well, my hunny."

"I trust you, even though you're a pervert," she announced, smacking his wandering hand. "Because…" she looked up at him. "I know that everyone has a soul, and as long as they are loved and included, they are happy."

"…!"

"That's how I felt when I met you, I guess. In Mizuho, I was a failure, and an outcast. I… was actually glad of the attention you gave me."

"…I was wrong Sheena," Zelos said quietly, a frown creasing his brow. "I was thinking about what you said earlier, about my right to live and make choices for myself. Well… I know now that strength isn't what I wanted. And I just…"

She smiled into his vest and immediately cursed herself for being so intimate. "Zelos, just don't be too hard on yourself. Stop trying to solve everything by yourself, stupid."

"…"

"Thanks for coming to help me, anyways."

He grinned. "Nah… it was more like you came to rescue me, not the other way around."

"That's true, huh?"

"Yeah…"

She looked up at him again. "I trust you Zelos. And… I'm here, okay?" She blushed when his eyes widened. "W-what? I can be nice too, right?"

He smiled again. "Yup. My voluptuous, _kind_ demonic banshee."

She sighed and nodded, acknowledging that he wasn't going to stop calling her that, no matter how many times she smacked him. All of a sudden, she turned pink and gritted her teeth together. "One more thing…"

"Yeah?" he asked innocently.

She twitched. "Get your hand off my butt."

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"_Welcome back, Zelos! We've missed you…_

…_I've missed you."_

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Owari.


End file.
